Monitoring of surface water status in the Republic of Serbia

Republic of Serbia Ministry of Environmental Protection

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Snežana Čađo, Ljubiša Denić, Aleksandra Đurković, Boris Novaković, Tatjana Dopuđa Glišić,

Nebojša Veljković, Zoran Stojanović, Milica Domanović snezana.cadjo@sepa.gov.rs

Monitoring in Serbia: state-of-art and plans for improvement - lessons learned

• The Water Framework Directive (WFD) of the European Parliament and the Council (2000/60 / EC) establishes a framework for community action in the field of water policy

• The WFD is a basic legislation in the water domain and its implementation represents a major challenge even for the EU Member States due to the scope of tasks but also due to strict deadlines

• Although the Republic of Serbia is still not a formal EU member, the RS had committed itself to follow the conceptual approaches of the WFD within the Danube Basin through active membership in the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR)

• One key purpose of the Directive is to prevent further deterioration of, and protect and enhance the status of aquatic ecosystems

• “The status of surface water“ is a general term of the status of a surface water body assessed by the worst one than the ecological and chemical status

The good status of a surface water body is achieved when both its statuses, ecological and chemical, are assessed at least as "good"

• The success of the Directive in achieving this purpose and its related objectives will be mainly measured by the status of “water bodies”. “Water bodies” are therefore the units that will be used for reporting and assessing compliance with the Directive’s principal environmental objectives

• Monitoring is a cross-cutting activity within the Directive and as such there are important interrelationships with other Articles and Annexes of the Directive. A key Article in relation to monitoring and the design of appropriate programmes for surface waters is Article 5

The relationship between Article 5 and Article 8 in the design of surface water monitoring programmes

Three types of monitoring for surface waters are described in Annex V:

• surveillance,

• operational and

• investigative monitoring

The objective of monitoring is to establish a coherent and comprehensive overview of water status within each River Basin District and must permit the classification of all surface water bodies into one of five classes

This does not mean that monitoring stations will be needed in each and every water body. Member States will have to ensure that enough individual water bodies of each water body type are monitored

Surveillance monitoring of surface waters

The objectives of surveillance monitoring of surface waters are to provide information for:

• supplementing and validating the impact assessment procedure detailed in Annex II

• the efficient and effective design of future monitoring programmes

• the assessment of long term changes in natural conditions, and

• the assessment of long term changes resulting from widespread anthropogenic activity

Surveillance monitoring has to be undertaken for at least a period of one year during the period of a RBMP

Operational monitoring of surface waters

• The objectives of operational monitoring are to:

establish the status of those bodies identified as being at risk of failing to meet their environmental objectives; and

assess any changes in the status of such bodies resulting from the programmes of measures

Investigative monitoring

Investigative monitoring may also be required in specified cases. These are given as:

• where the reason for any exceedences (of Environmental Objectives) is unknown;

• where surveillance monitoring indicates that the objectives set under Article 4 for a body of water are not likely to be achieved and operational monitoring has not already been established, in order to ascertain the causes of a water body or water bodies failing to achieve the environmental objectives; or

• to ascertain the magnitude and impacts of accidental pollution.

• Adoption of Water Law in 2010 (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia 30/2010) and following bylaws acquired adequate conditions on harmonization of monitoring of surface water status in the Republic of Serbia with the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/ЕC) requirements

• National Water Bylaws adopted in the 2010-2014 period:

Regulation on establishment of surface and groundwater bodies (Official Gazette of the RS 96/2010)

Regulation on reference conditions of surface water types (Official Gazette of the RS 67/2011)

Regulation on the parameters of ecological and chemical status of surface waters and parameters of chemical status and quantitative status of groundwaters (Official Gazette of the RS 74/2011)

Regulation on emission limit values of polluting substances in surface and groundwaters and deadlines for their achievement (Official Gazette of the RS 50/2012)

Regulation on emission limit values of priority and priority hazardous substances which pollute surface waters and deadlines for their achievement (Official Gazette of the RS 24/2014)

• A total of 498 surface water bodies were determined in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, of these 493 surface water bodies were grouped into the following categories: rivers, heavily modified water bodies (HMWB), artificial water bodies (AWB) and 5 lakes

• The selection of operational and surveillance monitoring stations was done based on the WFD requirements (Annex V, 1.3.1; 1.3.2)

• 50 surveillance monitoring stations were selected which represent the “basis” of water monitoring network as well as should provide the whole water status survey within the catchment areas (the Morava, the Sava and the Danube River Catchment Area)

The first Programme of surface water monitoring status in Serbia harmonized with the WFD requirements was carried out in 2012

The criteria for selection of surveillance monitoring stations

• The rate of water flow is significant within the river basin district as a whole; including points on large rivers where the catchment is greater than 2 500 km2;

• The volume of water present is significant within the river basin district, including large lakes and reservoirs;

• Significant bodies of water cross a Member State boundary;

• Sites are identified under the Information Exchange Decision 77/795/EEC;

• At such other sites as are required to estimate the pollutant load which is transferred across Member States boundaries, and which is transferred into the marine environment.

The criteria for selection of operational monitoring stations

• Operational Monitoring Programme covered all water bodies for which was assesed as at risk and could not satisfied Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) from the WFD Article 4 and water bodies where priority substances from the Priority List discharged, based on the results of National Monitoring programmes in 2009 and 2010 as well as the impact analysis conducted in accordance with the WFD Annex II

• In 2012, 90 water bodies were included in the

Operational Monitoring Programme (42 water bodies are also surveillance monitoring stations)

• For surveillance monitoring, parameters indicative of all the biological, hydromorphological and all general and specific physico-chemical quality elements are required to be monitored.

• For operational monitoring, the parameters used should be those indicative of the biological and hydromorphological quality elements most sensitive to the pressures to which the body is subject, all priority substances discharged and other substances discharged in significant quantities.

Selection of quality elements (Annex V.1.1.)

• The results are given in the following publication: https://www.sepa.gov.rs/download/VodeSrbije/StatusPovrsinskihVodaSrbije

In the 2012-2014 period the monitoring of surface waters covered a total of 149 water bodies in Serbia

• An implementation of the Water Framework Directive has changed the criteria and methodology of assessing the status of water bodies. Thus the assessments of surface water quality from previous years, before 2012, are not comparable with the newly obtained assessments

• We would like to outline that these are the first status assessments given for one calendar year (or two, in the case of 2012/2013) and that these assessments may differ from future status assessments, when we’ll have a larger set of data

Water Monitoring Network of Surface Waters in 2012

Quality elements used for ecological and chemical classification of rivers, lakes and reservoirs according to the WFD and national legislation of the

Republic of Serbia

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Biological quality elements Rivers Lakes and reservoirs

• Phytoplankton + +

• Phytobenthos + +

• Маcrophytes − −

• Маcroinvertebrates + +

• Fish − −

General physico-chemical elements + +

Specific nonpriority polluting substances

+ +

Hydromorphological quality elements

• Hydrological regime ± ±

• River flow continuity − −

• Morphological conditions − −

CHEMICAL STATUS

Priority and priority hazardous substances

+ +

Annual frequency of water quality elements investigation

Biological quality elements rivers & AWB lakes reservoirs

macroinvertebrates 2 2 2

phytobenthos 2 2 2

phytoplankton 6* 4 4 (3)

macrophytes - - -

fish - - -

General physico-chemical elements 12 (10-12) 4 4 (3)

Specific nonpriority polluting substances

12 (10-12) 4 4 (3)

Hydromorphological quality elements

hydrological regime water level and flow

river flow continuity - - -

morphological conditions - - -

*only at large plain rivers (Type 1)

Phytoplankton

The following metrics are used for indicative assessment of ecological status/potential:

phytoplankton abundance (cells ml-1) percentage participation of

Cyanobacteria and Euglenophyta in the total phytoplankton community

biomass (chlorophyll-a concentration)

Identification of pressures: eutrophication and organic pollution

meritory - mean value

Inverted microscope with dark and light field and phase contrast with camera and image analysis for phytoplankton analysis,

Carl Zeiss GmbH, Axio Observer D1

Phytobenthos The following diatom indices

are used for indicative assessment of ecological status/potential:

IPS (Coste in Cemagref, 1982) "Indice de pollutio-sensibilite"

CEE (Descy & Coste,1990) EPI-D (Dell'Uomo, 1999)

"Diatom-based Eutrophication/Pollution Index"

Identification of pressures: eutrophication organic pollution

meritory (obtained or mean value)

Diatom indices calculation (OMNIDIA v. 5.5)

Diatom indices used in ecological status/potential assessment according to the National Monitoring Programme

Macroinvertebrates

The following metrics are used for indicative assessment of ecological status/potential (depending on the type of water body): Zelinka & Marvan Saprobic Index BMWP Score ASPT Score Shannon-Weaver Diversity Index EPT Taxa number of families total number of taxa percentage participation of

Oligochaeta/Tubificidae number of bivalve species number of gastropod species number of sensitive taxa (Austrian

list)

Identification of pressures: general degradation organic pollution

Stereomicroscope with gooseneck type cold light with camera and image analysis for analysis of benthic invertebrates,

Carl Zeiss GmbH, SteREO Discovery V8

ZEN 2 Microscope and Imaging Software

ASTERICS v. 4.0.4 Software for benthic invertebrate metrics

eutrophi cation

organic pollution

general degradation

General physico-chemical parameters used in ecological status assessment

Parameter Unit

Water temperature оC

Transparency m

Turbidity NTU

Suspended Solids mg/l

Dissolved Oxygen mgO2/l

Oxygen Saturation %

Alkalinity mmol/l

Total Hardness (CaCO3) mg/l

Free Сarbon Dioxide CO2 mg/l

Carbonates - CO3-- mg/l

Bicarbonates - HCO3- mg/l

Total Alkalinity (CaCO3) mg/l

pH -

Conductivity µS/cm

Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) mg/l

Ammonium (NH4-N) mg/l

Parameter Unit

Nitrites (NO2-N) mg/l

Nitrates (NO3-N) mg/l

Organic Nitrogen (N) mg/l

Total Nitrogen (N) mg/l

Ortophosphates (PO4-P) mg/l

Total Phosphorus (P) mg/l

Dissolved Silicates (SiO2) mg/l

Calcium (Ca++) mg/l

Magnesium (Mg+) mg/l

Chloride (Cl-) mg/l

Sulphate (SO4--) mg/l

BOD5 mg/l

CODMn mg/l

CODCr mg/l

Total Organic Carbon (TOC) mg/l

Specific nonpriority polluting substances

No. Specific polluting substance Analytical method

1 Zinc (Zn) EPA 6020A:2007

2 Copper (Cu) EPA 6020A:2007

3 Aluminium (Al) EPA 6020A:2007

4 Iron (Fe) EPA 6020A:2007

5 Manganese (Mn) EPA 6020A:2007

6 Total Chromium (Cr) EPA 8270D:2007

7 Arsenic (As) EPA 6020A:2007

8 Boron (В) EPA 6020A:2007

9 Non-ionogenic surface-active agents EPA 425.1

10 Petroleum Hydrocarbons MSz 12750/23-76

11 Phenol Index EPA 8270D:2007

12 Gross beta-radioactivity SRPS ISO 9697:2008

13 Polychlorinated biphenyls

(PCB):28,52,101,118,138,153,180 и 194 EPA 8270D:2007

14 Propazine SRPS ISO EN 11369:2008

15 Linuron SRPS ISO EN 11369:2008

16 Terbuthylazine SRPS ISO EN 11369:2008

• general physico-chemical parameters and specific nonpriority substances in ecological status/potential assessment

rivers - parameter value is calculated as 80th percentile, except for the parameter Dissolved Oxygen (10th percentile)

lakes and reservoirs - parameter value is calculated as mean value in a water column, except for the parameter Dissolved Oxygen (10th percentile)

Statistical analysis results

The relationships between the biological, hydromorphological and physico-chemical quality elements in status classification

Combining parameters to indicate the status of a biological quality element and applying the “one out all out” principle to overall ecological

classification

Percentage participation of natural water bodies, HMWB and AWB with respect to ecological status classes in the 2012-2014 period

Percentage participation of water bodies within each River Catchment Area (RCA) with respect to ecological status classes in the 2012-2014 period

the worst status had RCA Danube-no water bodies with satisfied status RCA Sava-only 3% water bodies with satisfied status RCA Morava - only 2% water bodies with satisfied status

Assessment of the ecological potential of reservoirs in the 2012-2014 period

Assessment of the ecological potential of reservoirs in the 2012-2014 period

Assessment of the ecological status of lakes in Serbia

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Palić lake to 200 m a.s.l.

high

Ludaš lake to 200 m a.s.l.

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Palić

Ludaš

• Future surveillence monitoring programmes should include:

the stations situated at large lakes and reservoirs

other biological quality elements - macrophytes and fish

all hydromorphological quality elements

• Future operational monitoring programmes should include:

water bodies which have not yet been investigated (also grouping of water bodies with regard to type/various pressure and sensitivity to identified pressures should be carried out as well as conducting operational monitoring programme in representative water bodies in order to obtain results for the whole river catchment area)

fish and macrophyte community investigation at the water bodies in which these quality elements are the most sensitive to pressures

Guidelines on further harmonization of surface water monitoring to the WFD conducted by the SEPA

• Аmendment the Regulation on the parameters of ecological and chemical status of surface waters and parameters of chemical status and quantitative status of groundwaters:

revision the list of parameters and ecological

status class boundaries

in order to ensure comparability of monitoring systems, the results of the systems operated shall be expressed as Ecological Quality Ratios (EQR) for the purposes of classification of ecological status

Guidelines on further harmonization of surface water monitoring to the WFD

to define a clear and unambiguous methodology

with main goal to determine appropriate values in ecological and chemical status assessment

revising the criteria considering the level of reliability/confidence and precision in ecological status classification

• to define a list of the specific polluting substances and Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) with regard to these substances

• amendment the Regulation on reference conditions of surface water types

Guidelines on further harmonization of surface water monitoring to the WFD

• The Serbian Environmental Protection Agency prepares a Report on the Status of Surface Waters in Serbia for 2015 and 2016 which will be published by the end of this year

• This report will also show the results of operational monitoring for the new 20 sampling stations on water bodies for which until now we had no monitoring data and for 6 reservoirs as well

• The Operational Monitoring Programme of surface waters for 2017 covered new 15 sampling stations on water bodies for which we had no monitoring data so fa

Current activities related to the implementation of the WFD

• The implementation of the project "Operational monitoring of surface and groundwaters of the Republic of Serbia" is underway, financed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Serbia

Part 1 - "Operational monitoring of surface waters”

• The aim of the project is to improve the protection of the watercourses of the Danube River Basin and to implement the Water Framework Directive by expanding the existing surface water monitoring and by introducing research of biological quality elements - macrophytes and fish that have not been systematically investigated in the territory of the RS so far

• the project was granted to a consortium headed by the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade

• the investigation of the macrophyte community, in order to assess the ecological status/potential, is foreseen for 27 water bodies of rivers and canals, 16 reservoirs and two lakes

• the investigation of fish community, in order to assess the ecological status/potential, is foreseen for 47 water bodies of river and canals

Current activities related to the implementation of the WFD

Thanks for your attention !!!